Powder-blending apparatus.



C. L. HEISLER.

POWDER BLENDING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 23 Patented-Sept. 25, 1917.

v 3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

V/ITIVESSES: W 03 m. awwa C. L. HEIS LER.

POWDER BLENDVING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILE'D JUNE 23,1916.

Patented Sept. 25, 1917.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

lA/VE/l/TOR C. L. HEISLER. 4

POWD-ER BLENDING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 23,1916- Patent-ed Sept. 25, 1917 3'SHEETS-SHEET 3.

O Y n 1 a ,r. w A? Km m E H m G m UJ HX m 9 w a wmwwmm U u n VIBE H H m w L H H 3 0 H. H In Hxm x x an W & ww 714M AW, X H a m w 1 9 WITNESSES:

MM MMAW M N $1. I I M CHARLES L. I IEISLEB, 0F SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK.

POWIbER-BLENDING APPARATUS.

or more powders in accurately weighed proportions and in accordance with determinations made by calculation; to sift the powder directly from commercial shipping cans and thereby avoid danger from dust and the labor of manually handling the powder; to provide a simple means for blending the mixture as it is sifted inaccurately weighed proportions into a blending chamber.

In the several drawings Figure 1 is a midsectional elevation of a blending chamber having a plurality of powder sifting screens vibrated by an eccentric shaft and arranged to sift powder from shipping cans or containers into the chamber, portions of which are broken away to show the screens; Fig. 2, a plan view thereof wherein, small sections of the cans are broken away toshow the screens, a part of the eccentric shaft housing cover is removed, and part-of the housing is shown by a section taken on a horizontal plane including .the axis of the eccentric shaft; Fig. 3, an enlarged detail sectional elevation taken on the line A A, of Fig. 2; and illustrating the manner of fastening a vibrating frame to the sifting screen and to a powder can, also the method of mounting the screen above the blending chamber; Fig. 4, an elevation illustrating the constr'uction of an automatic weighing mechanism adapted to be coupled to the screens for governing their rate of sifting the powder into the blending chamber; Fig. 5, a plan view thereof; Fig. 6, an end view; Fig. 7, an enlarged sectional detail of a mercury and oil cup; Fig. 8, a diagrammatic plan view of the sifting apparatus illustrated in Fig. 1; Fig. 9, a modified form of sifting apparatus adapted for air vibrators; Fig. 10, an exterior view of three magnet governed air valves for controlling the Specification of Letters Patent.

upper extremity of the chamber. brator 2, is attached .to the chamber near the Patented Sept. 25, 1917.

Application filed June 23, 1916. Serial No. 105,505.

air vibrators; Fig. 11, an enlarged detail, part shown in section, of an automatic air vibrator starter; Figs. 12 and 13, diagrammatic illustrations of automatic weighing apparatus for blending more than threepowders simultaneously.

A blending chamber 1, is mounted upon any suitable support I which will .give it a limited amount of freedom when vibrated laterally by the vibrators 2 and 2 attached thereto in usual manner. The chamber may be of cylindrical or other-form and is made of ample height to insurethorough blending of any powder mixtures that may be caused to fall, by means to be described hereinafter, downward upon an outwardly spreading air jet which is projected upward by the air nozzle 3. The air pipe 3 de livers superdried air under pressure to the nozzle from any suitable source of supply.

An air escape 4, is formed of cloth at the The vicloth air escape and maybe operated for a short time for the purpose of .causing any accumulation of dust on the cloth and chamber walls to fall to the bottom of the chamber. The vibrator .2, is operated when emptying the chamber through the discharge valve l Oneor more air jets3 are disposed horizontally and in a manner to impinge against the circular inner side of the chamber for the purpose of giving a swirling motion to any downwardly flowing cloud of powder dust, thereby more completely blending the powder before it is layered upon the bottom of the chamber. Therotary motion .imparted .to the cloud of dust by the jets avoidsthe necessity of rotating the chamber.

Three pairs of powder sifting screens 5, 52.6, 6; and 7, 7"-; are of like construction. Each pair is supported by a suspension bar 8, from. a corresponding elbow lever 9, in a manner to permit a free but limited amount of vibration that may be. transmitted thereto from an eccentric 13, herein after described, by a connecting rod 10. Each lever is coupled by a rod 9, to its corresponding weighing beam which forms part of an automatic weighing apparatus to be described hereinafter. The lever is disposed at a considerable distance above the screens and pivotally supported by a' stationary object as 9 ina manner to give ['frames' may be cast integral if preferred.

ample room for insertingv and removing ordinary commercial powder shipping cans 11, which are of well known construction'. Each circular sieve frame 12, has a memconnecting rod 10, which couples it tothe eccentric l3. .By'me'ans of the rivets let,

each frame is fastened to its mate 12", and

- to the suspension bar 8, but the pair of Each screen is fastened to its frame by an f inner. retaining ring 15, in the usual manner.

I clined chutes 16 and 16 disposed'under-their the centerof the-chamber, directly over and at a considerable d stance above the jet corresponding. screens. These chutes when l'vib'rated with the screens convey all the sifted powder from the .severalscree'ns to j ting nozzle 3, toward which the powder 1 falls in the form offia cloud of' dust 'andis *tothe ottom of the chamber.

v fan upper or can clamping sectionanda lower "slot 12%. The powdercanclamping section -The sieve frame is inadein two sections,

or screen sectionwhich areflseparated by a i is actuated by means :of the threaded stud 12? and the hand nut112f, which'cl'ose' the "can when inserted in the frame 'and set upon I the ring'15. This ring'suppoi-ts thezcan with itsdischarge outlet l l 'ata determined distanceabove' the screenin a mannerto per- "over the surface of the screen as the powder issimultaneously emptied from the can and sifted, by the vibration,'into the chamber be1ow.--

anism, when insertingor removing powder To avoid weighing cans from the frames, the locking cams'17, are thrown into their vertical positionr'as indicate'dlin Fig. 1, by-means of the crank 18 andthe pairof shafts 18*,in1 a manner to touch the top and bottom sides of the slots 15*, of the .slotted member 15*", formed on the; ring 15*; The shafts 18%,are supported by bearings 19, which project upward from,

and are fastened-to'the chamber 1." The pair of shafts are coupled by the "sprocket gears 20 and the chain 20 for the purpose of causing the cams to move at the same [time-and take like positions. To free .the,

frames and place their burdens upon the weighing 1nechanism,'the crank 18, is turned 7 through an angle of which places the cams horizontally and free from contact with the slotted members;

' Vibration is transmitted by the rods 10,

her. 12?, formed thereon for the purpose of rigidly fastening it to its corresponding .tween the wedge shaped-filler 23 and the 'box 22. It issupported'byahoriz'ontally 3 disposed plate section"23?', formed thereon and arranged between the 'housing cover 21 and the topof the eccentric journal beartossed upward, 1 swirled and thoroughly f dried b' the air jets before it is precipitated and filler to slide horizontally when actuated l 1 by the'ec'centric bOX,'bllt not vertically for thepurpose of preventing vertical motion from being transmitted tothe floating link I 24? and the magnet leven 24 --rod"guide wear blocks 21 ,-are fastened to space 12 and cause the clamp section to" tightly embrace the open end-of an inverted is given. ample freedom in the j aw to stop the vibration of the sieve frames when the filler is lifted by the counterweight 24, which is coupled theretobythe magnet lever 24*, and the floating link 24".; The vibration is mit the powder to gradually flow downward;

,conductedthrough the wires 25, 25"0r 25 from'any-v suitable-source of power. Eacheccentricfi's embraced'bya journal box' 22, 75

which abuts againstxonesideofthe jaw 10), formed on therod 10. A movable wedge shaped filler 23', is interposedbetweenthe "b'oxand the other side ofthe'jaw andwhenplaced in its lowerposition, as shown, it so will transmit a rapid-reciprocating motlon to-.the' connecting rods and sieve frames.

when the eccentric shaft is rotated at high speed. Avs'liding shoe'23, is interposed bein'gs 21. "This constructionpermitsthe shoe Connecting the under side of the detachable cover'21 for" the purpose ofpreventing verticalmotion or lifting of the rods 10. c The boiz'22,

again started when an electric current is from the automatic weighing apparatus, and causes the'magnet' 50, 50 or 50*. to lower the filler into the. position shown. The small slot 24,- formed in the floating link 23, is in its lower'orcon'tactposition. The

side wall"21",of the eccentric housing 21, 115.

is made detachable to give access to the eccentric-jaws and to-ta'ke out-the wear plate 21 which supports the reciprocating jaw. Journal bearings 21, are formed on the housing for supporting. the eccentricshaft.

The'vibration ofthe screen frames causes.

the powder to be discharged from the pow- 'der cans as rapidly as it's'ifts-through the screens and slides down the chutes and-into the blending chamber.

Excessive dust resulting from manually handling powder and the conse uent great danger'is avoided by sifting p0 er directly from the shipping cans as already described'-.

By the useof an automatic weighing 0011- 1 'trol, the rate of powder flow, as it is sifted from the several cans, can be governed with the high degree of refinement necessary in obtaining the essential perfection in the blend of a fuse powder used for precisely timing the explosion of a flying projectile.

Each of the elbow levers 9, is coupled by the rod 9, to a corresponding elbow lever 30, which is pivotally supported by a suitable stationary member as 30, disposed above the automatic weighing apparatus and preferably in a separate room at some distance from the blender to. lessen danger from electrical currents used in the apparatus. A vertical rod 31, cduples each elbow lever to its corresponding weighing scale beam 32,

33 or 34. This rod is' made adjustable in length by the turn buckle 31*, which is of usual construction.

The beam 32,.is preferably coupled tothe outerpair' of screens 5, 5; 33, 'to 7, 7 and the intermediate beam'34, to the intermediate pair of screens 6, 6*, for simplicity and con-- venience in operating. The outer weighing scale beams 32 and 33, are disposed horizontally and are of like construction. They are pivotally supported on the base 35, by their pivotal bearings 32 and 33, which are secured to the base by the bolts 32 and 33". These beams are provided with adjusting weights 32 and 33 and have graduations 32 and 33 marked thereon preferably in calculations when proportioning the blend-" decimal fractions for convenience in making ing mixtures. The long inner, or scale end of the beams are pointed and disposed in horizontal alinement with each other, in a manner to place their pointed ends directly opposite eacht other and within the guard 36,! which limits their oscillating movement, the intermediate, or equalizing weighing scale beam 34, is disposed parallel to and a short distance above the beams 32 and 33 and is coupled thereto by a pair of adjusting links 40. This beam is pivotally supported at its middle by the horizontal. adjusting lever 37, which is pro 5 vided with an adjusting weight 37*. It is positioned by the flexible blade 37*, "which is fastened thereto and to a supporting member 38, that is formed on and projects horizon tally from the base 35. The blade 37", forms a flexible hinge which prevents longitudinalv and lateral movement of the scale beam 34, and provides a free but limited vertical motion which may be transmitted thereto by the corresponding rod 31, from the corresponding pair of intermediate blender sifting screens 6, 6". The vertically disposed thumb screw 39, is positioned by a projection 39, formed on the base in a manner to locate the screw directly under the down wardly projecting lug 37 formed on the lever 37, for the purpose of preventing vertical movement of the lever 37 when the screw is base 35. posedbetween the supporting member and the cups. Electrical conductors 25, 25 and knife edge bearings 34 and 37 and the stirrup 31, provide a ready means for coupling the rod 31, to the beam 34, in a manner to transmit vertical. motion thereto and cause a slight oscillationof the right hand end 37 of-the lever 37 This oscillation is limited by the stationary guard 41, which projects from the base. The floating scale beam adjusting links 40, are disposed vertically and parallel with each other, and

are setto suit the calculated-proportions desired in the powder blend; When each is set, at a distance from the corresponding bearing 32, or 33 equal to twice the distance ofthe same bearing from the corresponding knifev 2 edge bearing 32 or 33 the scale beams will all balance with an equalburden on each of the pairs of sifting screens, or rods 31. By a carefully calculated ad ustment of the links 40, toward the right or left, many desired.

proportions may be obtained and maintained as will be described hereinafter. Metallic contact interrupting 'cups'42, of like construction, are adjustably supported by the members 42*, and 42*,- whichproject from the Electrical insulation 43, is,inter- 25, are connected with the cups and to 'cor responding magnets or solenoids 50, 50 and 50", to be described hereinafter. *Eachpup is placed directly beneath the oscillating end of its corresponding scale beam. .A dash pot 46, is pivotally suspended within the oil contained in each cup by a dash pot rod 32,

33 and 3'7 from the beams 32, 33 and the lever 37 ,respectively, in a mannerto permit a free but steady movement of the beams and levers within the limits determined.by the guards 36 and 41. .Asmall hole 46*, in the dash pot measures the rate ofv oil flow to and from the pot and the cup, thereby determining the time of the beam oscillations. Mercury 42 is placed at the bottom' of each cup directly beneath and oloseto the lower extremity of the dash pot rod for the purpose 0f interrupting'an electrical. current transmitted by the wires 25, 25 25, 48, 48 and 48", which lead to and from the cups, beams and levers. Electrical current is provided in any suitable manner as from a battery 60 and governed by a switch 60".

When operating the apparatus, the links '40, are adjusted upon the beams to give the calculated proportions desired for a given,

powder blend. The proper powder, con-- tained in shipping cans, is selectedfor the blend. The cans are opened in usual manner, inverted and clamped to the proper pair pcurately measured by the delicate scale. beams; after which, these beams Wlll lift" of screen frames. Sixcans, two of each kind, may be clamped over a pair of screens or frames; or three cans,that.is, one can of -a kind on each pair of screens or frame when it is desired to'blend a smaller quantity. The frames are'then freed by the crank 18, as already described. The weigh-. ingbeamsare "balanced by adjustlng the j I welghts 32 33 and 37 nntil the scale'beam and lever. ends point to apositioning dot v marked in the guards 36 and 4.1, the thumb screw 39, having been previously adjusted,

- to clear the lug 37. When, alljthe beams are balanced, the lower extremity of all the dash spot rods will touch the mercury withln the cupsandafter closing a battery switch,

60, current. will be transmitted to all the magnets 50, 507 and,50 ,.through the wires Q5, and 25 3, thereby cause the three fillers '23, to'be lowered and transmit vibration fromthe rotating eccentrics to; the three screen frames.

If powder isfsiftedi b y any lone of fthree screen frames faster than the caleii-Y lated proportion, the corresponding dash pot rod is lifted by the unbalanced beam.

andbreaks the electriccurr'ent which stops the vibration of that frame. If {a second frame sifts'to'o fast, it will be stopped inlike manner until 'thethirdfframesifts sufficient powder to again balance the system;

*after which all three willcon'tinue sifting.

These cycles of sifting operations will repeat themselves until the' powder is all sifted matically stop the entire-apparatus.

from any one of the pair of screens or cans, and the corresponding scale beam lifts and. breaks its electric circuit. The other two pairs will .continueto sift until they have reduced-the weight of powder in their cans to give the calculated proportion. as acand also stop their screen s, thereby auto When it is desired to'check the operation .of the machine, the powder. is accurately weighed to give the calculated proportlons for which the links 40, are set. Atthe close of the siftingoperation, all the cans should 50 be emptied.

When only two powders are to be blended,

the thumb screw 39, is raised to prevent a vertical movement of the lever 37, and the powder is placed only on the screen frames coupled to the scale beams 32 and 33., When so arranged the beam 34, acts merely as an equalizer between the .beams 32 and 33.

' l/Vhen simultaneously blendlng more. than three powders, a correspondingly greater number'of scale beams are coupled in the "manner illustrated diagrammatically by Figs. 12 and 13 Thesefiguresrespectively show weighing-apparatus for blending four and six powders simultaneously, and wherein the 165' elbow levers 30 theextension rods 9; the

"tion and adapted for the same purpose as .and magnets for governin' "a horizon stationary pivotal supports 30*; the mercury cups 42; the adjusting links 40?; and the adjusting weights '32"; areof like constructhe corresponding parts,30, 9 30, 42, 40 and 32, respectively; with the exception that the horizontal arm of the "elbow lever 30*, is provided with an extension to support'thef v adjusting weight 32. and apivotal conned, tion for themercury cupl2 Theseveral 7 5 partsare also related and connected in like v manner with corresponding Vibrating screens v v g the rate of sift ,as already described;

' The .vertically-diposed rods 31", can be '80" adjusted laterally? at their lower ends to; plvot atany selectedireadingmarked'on the opposite sectionsof the horizontal scale beams O. The adjustable floating link 40*,- cou'ples each scalebeam 70, near its middle tot-another parallelly -'disposed equalizingfscale "bea m 71, In Fig. 12, the beam; 71, is

coupled by a laterally adjustable link 40 t0 ally-disposed stationary scale bar In, Fig. l3','.0ne'-of.the scale beams 7 0 .90 ls coupled; to-thelOnger'end of. an interme d atesca'le beam 73, in a' manner to balance the force transmitted to its shorter end from thebeam 71- by the link 74. "The link 75',

'tran'smits'theforce fromthe'bealn 7 3,v to the stationaryscalebar 76; v rFor convenience in illustrating the operation 1n Fig. 12, theyvertical rods andlinks aremarked to show the percentage of the total force that is transmitted thereby to the stationary scale bar 72 and indicate the relative proportions of the powders selected for an assumed'blend. By simple calculation the distance of each pair of. rods 31 ,-.fr0m

[its corresponding link 40*, is determined and set on the/scale beam 70, as shown in Fig. 7

'12, by the numerals 4:, 3, and 4, 2. Byfur- .ther calculation, the link 40 is properly ad I 'usted on the scalebar 72 and the scale beam.v

' board, or otherwise, to avoid too frequent stopping of the corresponding vibrator While any screen is sifting a relatively small percentage or quantity of powder. ,By. reducing certain screen areas, or by changing their screen meshes, to proportion their rela- .-tive sifting capacity so asto approximate the corresponding percentage of powder required for a blend, it is possible to have all the vibrators operate almost continuously trics, the modified construction shown in Figs. 9,10 and 11, is coupled to and governed by the weighing apparatus shown in -F1 gs. 4, 5 and 6. WVhen desired a single screen frame 62, may be substituted for the double frames shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Likewise, the vertical, suspension bar 8 the elbow lever 9 the stationary pivotal support 30 and the powder container 11 may be substituted for 8, 9, 9 and 11, respectively and coupled to the weighing apparatus in like manner. Evidently, any number of the single screen frames 62, or double frames, when desired, can each be vibrated by an air vibrator 61, which is attached thereto in usual manner. An air conduit 63, 63 or 63, connects a vibrator with any usual type of air supply governing valve 45, 45 or' 4:5 the details of which are not shown. The conduit 45, connects the valves to any suit able source of air supply. Three valves adapted to govern the vibration of the screen frames 62 are shown for convenience of illustration. Magnets 50 50 and 50-, con trol the air valves in usual manner, and are electrically connected by means of the wires 25, 25 and.25 to the corresponding wires on the weighing apparatus, which when so arranged stops and-starts the air vibrators 63, instead of the vibrating eccentrics 13, and in like manner thereby governs the rate of sifting.

Air vibrators frequently fail to' start when air is admitted and require to be given a hammer blow before starting. To do this automatically, a small cylinder 63, is attached directly to the vibrator cylinder 61, and is provided with a piston hammer 63 A coil spring 64, is interposed between the piston and the vibrator cylinder so as to normally hold the hammer away therefrom. When air is admitted from an air valve, as 45, through a conduit, as 63 to the vibrator cylinder 61, it also enters the cylinder 63, through the duct 63 and causes the hammer 63 to strike and start the vibrator.

The apparatus may be applied for blending dye stuffs, grain flour and evidently by using different meshed screens, it is equally well adapted to blend coarser materials, or grain, when desired, without departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim is: I

1. In a blending apparatus, the combination of a plurality of means for sifting comminuted substances, means for supporting said substances after being sifted, a plurality of weighing beams, means for coupling said weighing beams to the sifting means, means for controlling the sifting means by a movement of the weighing beams, and adjustable means adapted to couple the weighing beams and proportion .their leverages so as to correspond with the predetermined proportions of the comminuted ingredients desired in a blend.

2. In a powder blending apparatus, the combination with a blending chamber, of a plurality of independent sifting screens above said chamber, supports for inverted powder cans above said screens, independent mechanisms for vibrating said screens, a plurality of weighing devices for supporting said screens, and connections between said weighing devices and said vibrating mechanisms whereby the operation of the latter is controlled by the amount of powder on said screens.

powder cans above said screens, independent mechanisms for vibrating said'screens,a plurality of weighing beams, connections therefrom to support said screens, means to render each of said vibrating mechanisms inoperative, and electrical connections between said beams and said means, whereby the latter are actuated whenever "the amount of powder'on any screen exceeds the amount required for the blend. 1

. 4. In a powder blending apparatus, the combination with a blending chamber, of a plurality of pairs, of sifting screens, a frame for each pair provided with means to hold inverted powder cans, rods connected to said frames, eccentrics for reciprocating said rods, wedges interposed between said eccentrics and said rods, means to raise and lower said wedges, independent means to suspend each of said frames, scale beams connected to each of said independent means, and connections-between said beams and said wedge raising and lowering means, whereby the reciprocation of each of said rods is controlled controllingmeans.

6. In a powder blending apparatus, the combination with a .blendmg chamber, of a plurality of sifting screens, independent means to suspend said screens above said chamber, means to support inverted powder cans above said screens, independent means to vibrate the latter, adjustable means intel-posed between each of-said vibrating "means and its connected screens, solenoids. 'to actuate said adjustable means, a Weighing mechanism for each of said suspending means, and electrical circuits including said 1 .solenoids and'controlled by said Weighing mechanisms, whereby the vibration of each screen is governed by the Weight of the powder thereon. I

7; In a powder blending apparatus, the combination With a blending chamber, of

a plurality of sifting-screens, independent means to suspend said screens above said chamber, means to support inverted powder cans above said screens, lndependent means to vibrate the latter, adjustable means in terposed' between each of said vibrating means and its connected screens, solenolds to actuate said adjustable means, a scale k .b'eam connected to each of said suspending means, electrical circuits including -sa'id solenoids and closed or broken by said scale beams, and adjustable mean's connectingthe sifted through each screen is kept constant for'any particular blend required.

' CHARLES L. rrnrsnna Witnesses:v v

MARVIN B. GARDNER, RALPH B. BURTON. 

